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Bonn. The Fair Trade Town Bonn is richer by one consumer temple. On 13.08. the fashion giant Primark opens in front of the main station with cheap clothes on 8000m2. But really cheap here is only the business model: What the commodity actually costs people and the environment, the prices do not reflect. FEMNET and Bonn im Wandel call on the day of the opening to talk about mass consumption and the future of the city. More than 20 organisations are already supporting the campaign ‘Better living without Primark’.

The Alliance's appeal is against waste, pollution and human rights violations. With information stands and changing clothes, FEMNET and Bonn are showing that things can be different. From 10 a.m., visitors can expect a colourful program in Poststraße. Politicians, organisations and citizens are invited to join the “Live better without Primark-Talk” and talk about better concepts of urban development.

Details: Category: FEMNET-Pressemitteilungen; Published: 08 August 2019

Blue Hands #Against Violence: FEMNET calls for solidarity in Bonn with the start of the campaign.
One in three textile workers are victims of structural violence in the workplace. Fashion brands aren't doing enough to protect women in their suppliers. For this reason, FEMNET is launching the campaign #Counterviolence on International Women's Day. With hands painted in blue, the supporters invite you to participate in order to set a sign against violence against women.

Details: Category: Gegen Gewalt an Textilarbeiterinnen; Published: 08 March 2019

Bonn/Berlin. Living wages are a key element of decent work. In the countries of the Global South, however, a large proportion of employees cannot live humanely on hard-earned wages. This also applies, and in particular, to employees in the textile and clothing industry. The Alliance for Sustainable Textiles, founded in 2014 on the initiative of Federal Development Minister Dr. Gerd Müller, has started to change this. The civil society organisations in the Textile Alliance are now calling on all members to follow their commitment to action and to step up their efforts to pay living wages.

Details: Category: Existenzlohn jetzt! Faire Löhne für Textilarbeiter*innen; Published: 29 January 2019

On World Children's Day, FEMNET petition with more than 14,100 signatures calls on fashion companies to protect the children of their seamstresses!

Details: Category: Wer passt auf? Mütter und Kinder in Fabriken; Published: 20 September 2018

Complaint against Italian testing service provider RINA, which issued a certificate to the factory despite safety deficiencies.

Details: Category: Unternehmensverantwortung; Published: 11 September 2018

Ministry of Economy recognises need for action for reforms in controls in the global supply chains of the textile industry

Berlin and Dhaka. The system of controls on safety and working conditions (social audits) in the global supply chains of the textile industry needs to be fundamentally changed. The Final declaration The OECD National Contact Point (NKS) at the Federal Ministry of Economics in Berlin in the Rana Plaza complaint procedure against the testing service provider TÜV Rheinland could pave the way for necessary reforms. The NCP recommends a dialogue between testing service providers, business associations, dealers, manufacturers and trade unions. Topics include: the transparency of audit reports and whether it makes sense for controls (social audits) to be paid by the owners of the factories checked: In addition, the NCP recommends measures that could already be implemented today, such as incorporating the experience of trade unions and workers.

Details: Category: Unternehmensverantwortung; Published: 05 July 2018

The textile alliance initiated by Federal Development Minister Gerd Müller (CSU) does not sufficiently motivate companies to commit themselves to respecting human rights in their supply chains. This is criticised by the civil society members of the Alliance on the occasion of a networking meeting that will take place on 5 June in Hanover. The companies that have joined the Textile Alliance so far cover slightly less than 50 percent of the German textile market. It is also likely that additional members will have to leave the alliance at the beginning of July if they do not comply with the obligation to draw up an annual action plan. Civil society members pointed out that the voluntary textile alliance could make meaningful contributions to the implementation of standards. However, effective legal rules applicable to all companies are necessary for the realization of human rights in the textile supply chain.

Details: Category: Unternehmensverantwortung; Published: 05 June 2018

Bonn, 1 June 2018. Many fashion companies accept that their suppliers are violating the rights of mothers and children. If there is no qualified childcare in textile factories, this violates applicable law in India, for example. On the occasion of International Children's Day, the women's rights organisation FEMNET and its Indian partner organisation CIVIDEP are launching a petition on 1 June and calling on manufacturers to improve the care situation with the #WerPasstAuf? campaign.

The international community classifies mothers and children as particularly vulnerable, especially in the world of work. As in many countries around the world, there are therefore legal regulations in India for paid maternity protection and childcare facilities in the workplace. However, implementation is often catastrophic, which was confirmed by studies by FEMNET and CIVIDEP.Indian suppliers of H&M, Cecil, Zalando, Primark and C&A were audited.

Details: Category: Wer passt auf? Mütter und Kinder in Fabriken; Published: 01 June 2018

Video of the current campaign. © CCCFive years ago, the catastrophic factory collapse of Rana Plaza killed 1,134 workers. In order to further improve the security situation in Bangladesh's textile factories, the agreement on fire protection and building safety in Bangladesh is now being extended. The women's rights organization FEMNET calls on all Bangladeshi-producing fashion and textile companies to participate in this new contract.

Details: Category: Unternehmensverantwortung; Published: 20 April 2018

Düsseldorf. The State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia has removed the obligation to provide evidence of compliance with international labour rights and environmental standards from the Tariff Adherence and Public Procurement Act (TVgG) of North Rhine-Westphalia. The amendment to the law abolishes a uniform national regulation that also aligns public procurement with human rights and environmental standards. Municipalities and provincial contracting authorities can still voluntarily request proof that labour rights and environmental standards have been complied with in the production of, for example, workwear. However, each municipality now has to develop its own regulation for sustainable procurement.

Details: Category: Unternehmensverantwortung; Published: 21 March 2018

The #metoo movement makes it clear: Gender-based violence in the workplace is part of the daily lives of many women workers. On the occasion of International Women's Day, FEMNET calls for solidarity with seamstresses in South Asia.

Worldwide, more than a third of all women, i.e. over 800 million, suffer from violence in the workplace. Women in low-paid and insecure employment are particularly at risk, as is still the case in the global textile industry today. In India and Bangladesh alone, more than 60 percent of workers in textile factories are affected. They are pulled by the guards' hair, harassed, insulted, sexually harassed, and often even raped. There is also enormous pressure on women: Thus, if they do not meet their targets, they often have to work unpaid overtime.

To support these women in India and Bangladesh, FEMNET has Mutual legal assistance fund It helps them to assert their rights.

Details: Category: FEMNET-Pressemitteilungen; Published: 06 March 2018

Signatures handed over to Primark in Bonn on 03.02.2018.
Photo:© FEMNET e.V.70,000 people ask Armani and Primark to reveal where they have their clothes made

On Saturday 3 February 2018 at 5 pm, activists of the campaign for clean clothing, including representatives of the Bonn-based women's rights association FEMNET, will hand over a golden gift box with 70,000 signatures to the low-cost manufacturer Primark in its branch in Cologne. They point out that Primark should create transparency about its supply chain and disclose the names of its suppliers.

Details: Category: Lieferkettengesetz; Published: 31 January 2018

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Press Center

Live better without Primark - Creative promotions and dress swap party for the opening of the fashion giant

International Women's Day: Stop the massive violence against women in fashion factories!

Civil society in the Textile Alliance appeals to companies: Shows more commitment to living wages!

Infants without care at suppliers of H&M, Primark, Zalando & co

Anniversary of the factory fire at KiK suppliers in Pakistan

OECD complaint on TÜV Rheinland test report on RanaPlaza factory

Civil society members see textile alliance at risk

H&M, Zalando, Primark & Co: Protects children and mothers in the fashion industry! FEMNET calls on fashion brands to comply with laws on International Children's Day

Never again Rana Plaza! Five years after the disaster, FEMNET calls for increased commitment from textile companies

Unleashing at the expense of the workers: NRW government removes human rights from public procurement law

International Women's Day: FEMNET calls for protection from violence at work

Signature handover of the #GoTransparent campaign by FEMNET in Cologne at Primark

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